Ash Ketchum: Man of Steel
by BigD1987
Summary: It has been 8 years since Superman saved the world. He has been gone for those years and the world has moved on, but they still remember him. But now, that is about to change. For a new threat has arisen...
1. Prologue

[Opening soundtrack: Krypton fanfare]

In a far off galaxy, a planet of highly advanced technology and civilization was destroyed in a massive supernova. But its people were not. A brave scientist sent his only son away to find a new home. That home, was Earth. He was discovered by a young woman and raised as a human for many years. In time, he would become a great hero. The boy's name was Kal-El. The hero he would grow up to be was known as Superman.

In a moment of great peril, the people of Earth called upon Superman to save them from a merciless attack by a terrorist group called Team Rocket. Superman rose to the challenge as all great heroes do, and defeated Team Rocket. The Earth was saved.

But as soon as he was finished, he disappeared. But the people did not despair. For they knew he would return again someday. And he would protect them all like he did against Team Rocket.

It has been 8 years and the world still remembers Superman. They erected statues of him in cities across the world. They wear his symbol on their chest, much like him. They sing songs about him. They compare other heroes to him, as well. Even compareing him to the man known as Jesus Christ. And much like Jesus, they still await the day their savior would return.

But they did not know his secret identity. No, that was not even on their minds. They did not know who he really was. But even if they did, it would not matter. But his secret identity was a young Pokemon Trainer from a town known as Pallet Town. His name was Ash Ketchum.

The young man was a talented Pokemon trainer and had great potential. Many people who saw him said he could realize his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master.

Until he, too, disappeared.

At first the Trainer community was stunned at his disappearance. But a note delivered to his friends told them he was going away to train. And his friends believed him.

It has been 5 years since he has been seen by anyone. And much like Superman, the world has moved one from his disappearance. And they still wait Superman's return.

They will not have to wait much longer. For a hero is coming…

[Soundtrack: Superman main theme]

Main title: ASH KETCHUM: MAN OF STEEL

[End soundtrack]

Los Angeles—Present day

Los Angeles, California. Also known as 'The City of Angels'; a large metropolis of 4 million over an area of 498.3 square miles. It is the second-largest city and metropolitan area in the United States of America; a city of culture, diversity and energy; the city where Hollywood comes from.

And a city under siege. For some time, the streets have been filled with merciless gangs. People who only look out for themselves and do not care about others. And while it is not a deadly problem, it is one that keeps many awake at night. And the so-called 'heroes' who patrol the streets—not the LAPD—are merely vigilantes who also do not care about innocent life. Only for carnage and bloodshed. But that will soon change. For a true hero is coming to Los Angeles.

We now shift focus to a bluff in the hills overlooking the city. It is nighttime, close to 11:00. The lights of the city were shining in the distance. The city looked peaceful from this distance. It is usually peaceful, but it can erupt into violence at any second.

Just then, a car pulled up to the bluff. It was a black-colored Pony Car, most likely a Ford Mustang. It stopped a few feet from the edge of the bluff and parked there. Its engine was killed and headlights turned off. Then the car door opened. A pair of legs stepped out and walked over to the edge of the bluff. The male figure put his left leg on top of some rocks and looked out over the city. "Los Angeles," he said. He looked out over the city for a few moments, trying to get a good look at this view of the city. "It's been years," he said. "And I'm more than ready." He had a smile on his face--a smile of confidence. He continued to look out over the city for a few more minutes until he heard a voice from behind.

"RaichuRai!" Came the voice. The figure turned around and noticed his Raichu standing on the hood of his car. The electric mouse must have gotten impatient, as it was tapping its paw on the hood of his car.

"Okay, I'm coming," said the figure as he walked over to his car. He patted the mouse's head and said, "I guess you're impatient." The Raichu cooed in response and the figure got back in his car. The Raichu did the same. Then the engine roared to life and the car went back down the hill.

The City of Angels was about to change.

--

End prologue

Well? Does it look interesting? Come on, it looks good, doesn't it?


	2. South Park Gym

It was a normal day at the newsroom in the L.A. Times building in Los Angeles. And if by 'normal', then you mean, 'frantic'. One could barely hear themselves over the din of reporters and staff members receiving the news of the day that will be featured in tomorrow's LA Times. These crack reporters, who work for L.A.'s top broadsheet, scrambled for any information about their respective stories and wrote down whatever it was they were reporting on.

A reporter for the city beat was talking with his co-worker when a camera flash caught his attention. He turned to the source of the flash and gestured to the person to go away. The camera turned to another reporter, a black-haired, brown-eyed, 24-year-old Hispanic woman. "Smile!" said the voice behind the camera. The woman reacted by giving a beaming smile to whomever was taking the picture.

The person taking the picture was a red-haired young man, who appeared to be around the age of 19 or 20. His red hair was mostly in curls, and he had a few freckles on his face. One of his strangely defining features was the bowtie he was wearing. You don't see that often, these days. He was probably close to 5'10". "How many 'T's' in 'bloodletting?" The reporter asked.

"Two," replied the young photographer. His press badge said, 'Jimmy Olsen'. He was one of the LA Times' newest photographers, despite only being a student at UCLA most of the year. "What are you working on, Ms. Gutierrez?" He asked the reporter.

She wore her hair down, and in a wavy style. As stated previously, she was 24, and looked it.

"An ode to spring," she replied.

"Golly Ms. Gutierrez, how do you get such great stories?" He asked her.

"A good reporter doesn't get great stories Jimmy," she said as she typed away. "A good reporter _makes _them great, just like the chief says."

"Oh," said Jimmy. "So what's it about?" He asked.

"Oh, it's about the rise in gang violence in South Central and the vigilantes," she said. Sonia Gutierrez was a rising star among reporters in the L.A. Times. "I just love these types of stories," she said. "It lets people know what's going on in their city. And it exposes these vigilantes for what they really are."

"Golly," he said. He liked to use an outdated term for some reason. Just then, a staff member walked up to Gutierrez's cubicle.

"Chief wants to see you," he said to her. "And you, Olsen."

"Oh, sure," said Sonia. She got up from her seat and, along with Jimmy, walked over to their editor-in-chief's office. The lettering on the door said, 'PERRY WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF'.

Inside the office was LA Times editor-in-chief, the aforementioned Perry White. He was a man in his '50s, and he wore a vest over his shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. He had thinning brown hair, with some graying and he had blue eyes. "Olsen! Gutierrez! Get in here!" He said in his gruff voice as he gestured them in. Sonia and Jimmy did as they were told and entered his office. "I want you two to do something for me," he said.

"What is it, chief?" She asked. Her question got him annoyed.

"I said don't call me chief!" he shouted back. "I want you two to do a feature story on that new gym leader in the South Park area."

"What do you mean, 'new gym leader'?" Sonia asked, as if this assignment was below her. Mr. White did not look pleased about her attitude.

"Now listen Gutierrez," he said. "You're the new kid here. And that means, you gotta take the small stories every once in a while. I remember when I was getting started-,"

"Chief, I don't think that has to do with—" Jimmy tried to cut White off, but he too was cut off.

"Don't call me 'chief', Olsen!" He shouted back. "Now look, Gutierrez, sometimes you gotta take what you can get. And this new gym leader—what's her name?"

"I think her name is 'Misty'," replied Sonia.

"Oh yeah, Misty," White said. "She's got that new Pokémon gym out in South Park, and the readers have been asking for a story on her for some time. I want you and Olsen to do an interview with her."

"But why should I waste my talents on fluff pieces when I could—" Sonia was a gain cut off buy an angry White.

"I said, you have to take the embarrassing assignments sometimes before you can really get your hands dirty," he replied. Sonia and Jimmy looked at each other, as his statement made no sense at all. "Besides, she's supposedly a witness to that Superman stuff 8 years ago," he said.

"Well now that sounds interesting," said Jimmy.

"I suppose so," said Maria.

"Now get the hell out of here or I'll have you bumped down to the kids' section!" He shouted. Sonia and Jimmy got the message and scrambled out of his office.

"Right, chief!" Jimmy said as he left.

"And don't call me chief!" He shouted back.

"This is bullshit!" She said candidly when she and Jimmy where in the elevator.

"Oh come on, Ms. Gutierrez," Jimmy said. "You know what Mr. White said!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, but it's still embarrassing!" She said. "I've got skills that are much better suited for exposing those vigilantes than covering a gym leader!" The elevator doors opened and Sonia quickly stepped out of the elevator while Jimmy tried to follow her through the lobby, which included a large globe.

"Well, who knows?" Jimmy said as he caught up to Sonia. "Maybe this Misty girl isn't so bad?"

"Yeah, sure," said Sonia. She was walking fast, as she wanted to get this assignment over and done with so she could get back to expository piece. "This is still embarrassing."

"Come on, Ms. Gutierrez," he said. "You've said that several times now—OOF!" He was backing up and didn't notice the wall behind him until it was too late. Sonia, meanwhile, was already out the door, forcing Jimmy to try and catch up to her again. "Why don't you give it a rest?"

"Because," she said as she turned around. "I joined this newspaper to help get these vigilantes which are terrorizing neighborhoods alongside those gangs they claim to fight, and I'm stuck doing a fluff piece about a gym leader!"

"But Chief did say she was a witness to that Superman stuff," he replied. "And since the anniversary of his victory over Team Rocket is coming up, maybe we can ask her about it?"

"Maybe you're right," she replied. "Well then, I guess this won't be too bad. But I'm still not going to be happy about it." She turned around and walked away.

"I never asked you to be happy about it," said Jimmy.

:-:-:-:-:-:

A few minutes later, Sonia and Jimmy arrived in the South Park area. The gym that Mr. White was talking about was close to the Staples Center, which worked well for the both of them. It made it easier for them to find, in other words. Of course, it did take them longer than they had hoped due to the notoriously bad LA traffic. What should have taken 5 minutes, as the LA Times building is less than 2 miles from the Staples Center, took 10. Not too bad, but Sonia was in a big hurry to get this assignment over with, even cursing Mr. White for giving her this assignment.

The gym wasn't too far, only a couple blocks from the L.A. Live development. In fact, it had a structure that matched the L.A. Live, what with its futuristic looking glass-and-steel structure. And one could not tell it was indeed a Pokémon gym. But that's where the similarities ended.

"Golly!" Jimmy said as he took a few pictures of the structure. Sonia wasn't too happy with his choice of words.

"Can you not say that?" She asked.

"Say what?" Jimmy asked, oblivious as to what she was talking about.

"Stop saying 'golly'!" She replied in an annoyed tone.

"You don't have to get mad at me," he said to her. She sighed, and then her features softened.

"I'm sorry Jimmy," she said. "I'm just a little annoyed at Mr. White for assigning me this story."

"It's okay," said Jimmy. "Now let's go in, I want to see this gym leader." Jimmy went in first, followed by Sonia. Once inside, they got a good look at the lobby, which was empty, much to their disappointment. However, they could hear the sounds of a Pokémon battle going on, which must mean that the gym leader was here. In fact, a sign on the front desk said that there was a battle going on, and it was redirecting any visitors to the spectator area.

The spectator area itself was like the stands of a high school/college/Olympic pool, with four sides surrounding an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the middle. There were about 10 rows of seats for each side. In the pool were the two combatants, each trainer standing on a platform while the Pokémon fought on their own platforms right in front of the trainers. They were up high enough though, that they couldn't get a good view of the trainers. But one looked to be in their 20s, while the other looked to be close to 12. The older trainer was using what looked to be a Starmie and the younger trainer had a Sandshrew out.

They watched as the Starmie unleashed a Water Gun attack at the Sandshrew. The Sandshrew-which was most likely inexperienced-was knocked out with a single blow, much to its trainer's dismay, as it called out the Pokémon's name and recalled said Pokémon. Since they couldn't really hear what the two were saying, they decided to get closer to the action.

Upon closer inspection, they could see that the older trainer was a woman close to 23 years old with long, orange hair that went down her back and a yellow-colored get-up.

"One more Billy!" She said.

"I'll get you this time!" He shouted. "Go, Char—"

"If you're going to call out any of the Charmander evolutions, I suggest you don't," said the older trainer. "If it falls in the water, it could douse the flame on its tail, and you know what happens then."

"Oh, you're right," said the trainer named 'Billy'. "Then I choose Raticate!" The trainer threw the Poké Ball, releasing said rat-like Pokémon.

"Then I'll go with Golduck!" The older trainer cried. She unleashed a Golduck, which gave thumbs-up sign when it was released.

"Raticate, use bite!" the young trainer called out. The Raticate leapt into the air, bringing itself down on the Golduck. The Golduck was too fast though, and easily dodged the attack.

"Golduck, Focus Punch!" The woman trainer called. The Golduck closed its eyes for a moment and began to focus its energy. Sonia and Jimmy watched with interest—Jimmy was actually taking pictures by now—while the Golduck charged itself. Then, the Golduck opened its eyes and gave the Raticate a very powerful punch. Now since this is a fighting move, and Raticate is a Normal-type, this didn't last long at all. The Raticate was knocked out before it landed on the platform in front of Billy. The poor kid grasped his head in despair.

"Raticate!" He called as he recalled the Pokémon.

"Good fight Billy," the older trainer said as she recalled the Golduck and leapt back onto the pool deck. "But I'm too experienced for you. Maybe you should handle the Fairfax gym instead. That one's good for beginners."

"I guess so," said Billy.

"Now run along and keep training those Pokémon Billy," she said as she patted him on the head.

"Thanks Ms. Waterflower," Billy said dejectedly as he left the gym.

"Good luck Billy!" She called as he left. She didn't want to let the kid go without some words of encouragement first.

"I think that's her," said Jimmy.

"Must be," said Sonia. "Now how do we get out of—Oh, that should work." She noticed a stairwell that led to the pool deck. Might was well work. The two went down the stairwell, and once they were on the pool deck, Sonia called out to the trainer. "Um, hello?" The trainer turned around to see Sonia and Jimmy coming towards her.

She was a slender young woman. Her orange hair went down her back and to her waist and appeared to be parted on the left side. Her yellow, strapless outfit was her defining trait. And she didn't know why Sonia was there. "Um, who are you?"

"You are Misty Waterflower, the South Park gym leader, right?" Sonia asked.

"Yeah, I am," Misty replied. "But who are you and why are you here?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" Sonia said, embarrassed by the situation. "I'm Sonia Gutierrez, of the Los Angeles Times, and this is Jimmy Olsen. We're here for an interview."

"I don't remember making any interview arrangements," said Misty.

"Really?" Sonia said. "Our editor implied we had a time to do so."

"Oh, sorry," said Misty. "Tell you what, since I have the rest of the day off, I'll grant you an interview."

"You will?" Sonia said. "Oh, that's great!"

"I just need to get changed… do you have any interview questions, though?" Misty said.

"Oh, darn!" Sonia said, smacking herself. "I forgot to make some!"

"Well, I'll take a shower and give you some time to make some, okay?" Misty replied. But Jimmy had something to say.

"Actually, can I get some pictures of you?" He asked. "It's for the story."

"Sounds good!" Misty said. She posed for several pictures for Jimmy, refusing to do any racy pics—which Jimmy was fine with, since this was going to be in the newspaper. Meanwhile, Sonia did her best to come up with some interview questions

About half an hour later, Misty stepped out of her shower and into her bedroom, wearing her bathrobe. I'm trying to keep this clean, okay? Anyway, as she stepped out of the shower, she spotted her Marill, which was sitting on her bed. She gave it a rub on its head and smiled at it. "I've got an interview today," she said to the water mouse. The Marill cooed in response. "I wonder what they're going to ask me about," she asked out loud. "Maybe they're going to ask me about my style, my Pokémon, my…" she continued on, while her Marill looked on in confusion. Suddenly, the Marill's tail tipped over a photo frame on her nightstand, sending it crashing to the floor and getting Misty's attention. "Marill, you've got to be more careful," she said as she went over to pick it up.

When she flipped it over, she got a good look at the photo and stopped in her tracks. In the picture were her, May, Dawn, Brock, Drew, Kenny and… "Ash." The young, cocky trainer from Pallet Town was front-and-center in the picture. "This was taken before he left," she said to herself. She stayed there, looking at the picture, remembering her times with Ash and friends. A look that was a mixture of sadness and remembrance was on her face as she looked at the picture. But her little daydream was interrupted.

"Marill!" Misty jumped a little, before remembering that she had dozed off somewhat.

"Sorry Marill," she said. "I kind of dozed off. Oh! I need to find an outfit for that interview!"

:-:-:-:-:-:

"Sorry I kept you waiting!" She said as she came back into the lobby from the second floor. Sonia and Jimmy were waiting in the lobby, and it seemed as if they were getting impatient. Well, at least Sonia was.

"No, it's okay," she said to Misty. Then she got a look at Misty's outfit. "Hey, you look nice!"

"Oh really?" She said. "Thanks!" She was wearing her trainer clothes again, which is why Sonia was commenting on them. She didn't really comment on them earlier.

"But I thought you said you had to get changed?" She asked.

"I did," Misty replied. "I'm just wearing a different one."

"Oh, I see," said Sonia. "Shall we get on with this interview?"

"Sure!" Misty said. She directed the two into her kitchen, where she said she'd be more comfortable with the interview. They were greeted in the kitchen by a Beagle that seemed to be fascinated with Jimmy's legs and started snipping at them-much to Jimmy's despair.

"Um, I don't think he likes me, Ms. Waterflower," he said.

"Oh, don't mind Butch," she said. "He's just playing; he's actually a real sweetie pie." She walked over to Butch and started rubbing the dog's head—much to the dog's delight. "Isn't that right, Butch?" The dog barked in response. "Good boy!"

"Oh, that was neat!" Sonia said. "Did you train him to do that?"

"No," said Misty. "He just likes praise."

"Oh, I see," said Sonia. She sat at the kitchen table while Misty went over to the refrigerator.

"Do you and Jimmy want something?" She asked, trying to be a good hostess. "A snack, or a drink?"

"Oh, no thanks," said Sonia. "We really should get this interview started."

"I see," said Misty. "You really don't want to be here, do you?"

"No," said Sonia. Misty gave her a look that essentially said that she did not appreciate Sonia's feelings about this interview. Misty sighed in exasperation, and Sonia got nervous, afraid she had offended her host. Technically, she did. "I hope I didn't offend you," she said nervously.

"It's more of an annoyed offended," said Misty. "I'm guessing you think this is a fluff piece and you'd rather be doing some hard-hitting assignment?"

"Wow, you're right," said Sonia. "How did you know?"

"I used to work for a newspaper myself," said Misty. "But I left that a few years ago."

"So I guess we should get this interview started," said Sonia, not wanting to get into Misty's life story… yet.

"Sure," said Misty as she beckoned Sonia to sit down at the table. Jimmy meanwhile, had his hands full with Butch.

"So then," said Sonia as she took you a tape recorder and set it on the table. "First off, give us your name."

"Misty Waterflower," Misty replied.

"And where are you from?" Sonia asked again.

"Cerulean City, California," Misty replied.

"And how old are you?" Sonia asked again.

"I'm twenty-three," she replied.

"Well then," Sonia said. "Now let's get down to the nitty-gritty. When did you first become a Gym leader?"

"I think it was when I was 16," she said. "I had left my friends when my sisters left on a world trip." The last part of her sentence she said in a more disdained tone of voice. She never really forgave her sisters for abandoning the gym. "And well, here I am."

"I see," said Sonia. "And when did you move to LA?"

"I moved here when I was 21," she replied. "The LA Pokemon commission offered me a position as a gym leader here in South Park. Since it was in such a great area, I eagerly took it."

"Do you have any regrets?" Sonia asked.'

"Heck no!" Misty replied. "I'm living in Los Angeles! Hell, I'm the toughest gym leader in the whole city! You should see the gym leaders in West Hollywood, the San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills! They're pansies compared to me!"

"Ouch," said Sonia. "I don't think they're going to be very happy about that!"

"Well I get a lot of kids who are used to gyms from those places," she replied. "I usually give them a nasty wake-up call."

"But don't you think that's kind of harsh?" Sonia asked.

"Gyms in Northern California, Oregon and Washington are very competitive," Misty replied. "I'm only bringing that here to Southern California."

"Okay, moving on," said Sonia. "Why do you train Water Pokemon?"

"I'm not sure why," Misty replied. "But to be honest, I don't need too much of a reason. I've been in love with Water Pokemon since I was a little girl. And to be honest, I was raised in a Water gym, so it kind of makes sense if you think about it."

"I see," said Sonia. "I guess it's true you are the sister of the Sensational Sisters." Misty's face turned into a scowl. Sonia looked nervous again, thinking she had offended her. "Oh, I hope I didn't—"

"I really don't like being called the Sensational Sisters' sister," she said. "I mean I love them like I should, but I want to make my own name, not be automatically associated with them."

"Oh I see," said Sonia. "You just want to be known as Misty, not the other sister."

"Correct," said Misty.

"Okay then," Sonia said. "So, I've been told you were a witness to the Superman events, correct?"

"How did you know?" Misty asked. She seemed to be unaware she was linked to this.

"Well, according to some, you were the first person saved by Superman," Sonia said. "He saved you after an attempted bank robbery."

"Oh, that's right," she said. "I don't remember much about that day now, though."

"How come?" Sonia asked.

"Well it has been 8 years," Misty replied. "I haven't really focused on the past much."

"I remember the villain he faced was named Giovanni," Sonia said.

"Yeah, Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket," said Misty.

"What happened to him?" Sonia asked. "Wasn't he supposed to have a trial? And wouldn't Superman have been a witness?"

"In case you don't remember," Misty said. For those who are confused, don't be. She remembers what happened, you're about to have the fate of Giovanni revealed. "Giovanni plead guilty to all charges. He didn't have to go to trial and Superman didn't have to be a witness."

"Oh, that's right," said Sonia.

"And now Giovanni's rotting in the Colorado Supermax," Misty finished.

"Of course," said Sonia. "And why did Superman leave?"

"I'm not sure," said Misty. "In all honesty, I kind of forgot."

"That figures," said Sonia. "I think everyone forgot."

"In fact, I think some of my memories of the attack are hazy," she said. "I just remember watching it at my friend's house in Pallet."

"I see," said Sonia. She checked her phone. "I think our time is up."

"Already?" Misty asked.

"Yes," said Sonia. "It was a pleasure to meet you, though. I can see why you're one of the best."

"You know it," said Misty. "Call me the next time you want to have an interview… or a battle."

"We'll see about that," said Sonia. "Jimmy, let's go. So long!"

"So long," Misty said as she watched the two leave. Once they were out of sight, she got up from her chair and walked over to the refrigerator. She grabbed a juice while also grabbing some food for Butch and her Marill.

Butch eagerly watched while she poured the dog's food. As soon as she was done, he started gobbling it up. "It's good, isn't it?" she asked. The dog kept eating, so she just smiled. "Still, I wish she hadn't reminded me of that idiot," she said to herself. "Oh, what am I talking about, I reminded myself. I just wish he told me where he was going."

She gulped down her juice while leaving the kitchen to pick up the mail. It was the usual; bills, bills, bills. Any letter she got from opponents came via E-mail or Facebook. It's time to feed the Poke—_DING-DONG!_

"Who could that be?" she asked. "And why did they ring the doorbell?" She would get her answer when she opened the door.

"Raichu, Rai!" A Raichu leapt into her arms before she could tell what was going on.

"Um, hello," she said. "You seem happy to see me."

"He is," said a male voice. "He really missed you." She looked up to see…

Her jaw dropped. Her face showed an expression of pure surprise. In her stupor, she could only say one word.

"Ash?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

End chapter

Hey guys, it's me! Sorry I haven't gotten this thing going for two years. I've been busy with other stuff. But, some reviews and faves made me come back to this. I hope you liked this one! Things are going to get going real soon, though.


	3. Reunion

"Um, hi, Misty," Ash said while rubbing the back of his head. Misty was still in a state of shock and Ash's Raichu was trying to get her attention. "Um, hello, Misty? Are you okay?" Still no response. "You look like you just saw Superman!"

Okay, that got her attention. "Superman?"

"Looks like that worked," said Ash. But then, he felt Misty's slap.

"You idiot!" she screamed. "Where the hell were you! ? You left without telling any of us _where _you went and _why _you did it! You haven't changed a bit!"

"Same old Misty," Ash said sheepishly.

"You'd react the same way if I left for goodness-knows-where for 5 years!" Misty replied. "We were worried sick! Brock almost filed a missing persons report until your first letter showed up!"

"Oh," he said. "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be," she said while starting to calm down. They stayed in her doorway for a few more minutes. She kept staring at him with her angry face. Raichu looked at both, wondering what was going to happen next. Even Butch came in, apparently wondering what his owner was thinking.

Suddenly, Misty's mouth twitched ever-so-slightly. It was miniscule at first, but then it started to grow into a big smile. Raichu jumped out of her arms before she launched herself at him. "Ash, it's so good to see you again!" she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He replied with another hug.

"I missed you," said Ash. He really enjoyed having her in his arms again. The last time they were like this he was leaving for Dallas. It almost reminded him of his last adventures 8 years ago.

"Don't you ever make us worry like that again," Misty said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Sorry," he said. "Raichu really missed you."

"So, Raichu is…"

"Pikachu decided to evolve," said Ash.

"What?" said Misty. "He did? Wow, I didn't think he'd want to."

"Well, he's still the same old goofball," said Ash.

"Rai, Rai!" Suddenly, Raichu heard some sniffing, and noticed Butch. The dog seemed… interested in him. Naturally, Raichu was a little worried.

"Who's that?" asked Ash.

"That's my doggie, Butch!" Misty said as she gave the dog a rub on the head. "I adopted him last year."

"He looks great," said Ash. "And he seems interested in Raichu."

"He doesn't know Raichu," said Misty. "Don't worry boy, he's harmless. Why don't you come in, Ash? I could get you something."

"Sounds good," Ash said as he followed her to the kitchen and Misty looked him over. He'd certainly changed in the 5 years he'd been gone. He was certainly taller. His hair was a _little _big longer (he must not have gotten a haircut recently) and his vest was now sleeveless, revealing toned arm muscles. Hell, he was certainly more athletic than when—

Misty looked away, realizing she was staring at him. Her face was redder than a cherry. "Are you okay?" asked Ash.

"I'mfine!" she said rapidly.

"I guess," said Ash. "By the way, have you seen all that Superman stuff?"

"Yeah, it's his anniversary," Misty said as they entered the kitchen. "And apparently, he's inspired some other superhero types, some just like him some not. There's this one guy in Gotham who—get this—dresses like a bat!"

"A bat?" Ash asked. "That's strange."

"Unfortunately, L.A.'s got the bad type," said Misty. "One guy calling himself Executioner does what his name describes."

"He executes," said Ash.

"Exactly," said Misty. "The LAPD's been trying to catch him for months." Okay, this guy's gotta go.

"Anyone else?" asked Ash.

"There's this guy in Richmond who dresses up in red and runs really fast," said Misty. "And there's more of them. What do you want? Orange juice or soda?"

"Juice," Ash said as Misty tossed him the carton.

"So where'd you go?" Misty asked. "Tibet? Did you see Yeti?"

"Not exactly," said Ash.

"What do you mean?" asked Misty. "You didn't go to Tibet, or you didn't see Yeti?"

"I didn't see Yeti," said Ash.

"So I take it you went to Tibet?" said Misty.

"Yeah," he said. "I did see some monasteries."

"Are you a Buddhist now?"

"Kind of."

"HAHAHAHAHA! !"

"Um, this is a nice gym," he said to change the subject.

"You think so?" she said. "The SoCal League let me use it. It's actually older than you think. I just got help renovating it to match the area. They're building that football stadium not too far from here, after all."

"I was wondering about that," said Ash.

"How long are you going to be here?" said Misty.

"I'm not sure," he said. "I hope I can stay for as long as I can."

"If that's the case, then maybe I can help," she said. "I know some people who know some people, if you know what I mean."

"So you can find me an apartment?"

"Possibly," he said. "By the way, you're gonna get _so_many girls."

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Misty snickered.

"I was right! You haven't changed a bit!" she said. Ash just stared at her with a blank look on his face. She couldn't help but laugh at him. "You're so dense!"

"I am not!"

"This brings back memories," said Misty. "Don't you want to know how good I am?"

"I see your ego has changed a little," he said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," she said.

"But I don't doubt you're tough," said Ash. "You were tough on me, after all."

"Oh, thank you Ash, you're so sweet!" said Misty. "But anyways, a lot of gyms in this area are pansy gyms," she went into a mock valley girl accent, "like, especially in the Valley, cause I think they're like, really shallow."

Ash turned to the camera and said, "People from the San Fernando Valley, please don't get offended by this." And no, this is not the author's opinions, its Misty's.

"And Beverly Hills, ugh! Don't get me started on them," she said.

"I won't," said Ash.

"And the Torrance gym? It's the worst!"

"Torrance?" said Ash.

"Stay here a few more years," said Misty. "You'll find out."

"What else?"

"Well the Fairfax gym is weak, but that's because they're for beginners."

"And is that any different from the others?"

"No, he's still tough," said Misty. "He's just for beginners."

"That's real nice," said Ash. "I think your ego has gotten worse than mine."

"It has not!" said Misty. "But, maybe we should move on, this conversation is getting boring."

"No kidding," said Ash. "Where's Brock?"

"Well, he's been apprenticing with Suzy for a while," said Misty. "But there was no spark between them, even after he opened his own business in Vegas."

"VEGAS! ?"

"Yeah, and he's one of the more popular breeders in Nevada," she said. "Of course, there's only 3 breeders in the entire state, so too bad for him."

"What about May?"

"She, Drew, Dawn and Kenny are still Coordinators," said Misty. "I hear May and Drew are an item. And that's from insider sources."

"Who?"

"Her mother."

"That's about as inside as you get," said Ash. "Any more exposition?"

"You were gone for five years!" said Misty. "Of course I'm going to tell, but if you want to make it quick, your mother's still living single, Gary's still a researcher and still an ass, Professor Oak is still doing his job, Tracey's here in LA, my sisters are traveling the country, and Superman's anniversary is coming up."

"Superman?"

"Oh, that's right, you've been away for fiv—"

"You said that!"

"Sorry. Anyway, Superman is going to have a movie about him released soon."

"He is?" _I __am?_ Misty nodded.

"There are a lot of other things, too," said Misty. "He's got a statue in Star City, a bust in Washington, D.C. and a statue in Metropolis, Illinois. Don't ask why, it's not even a big city."

"And this is an eighth-year anniversary?" said Ash.

"There's crazy stuff every year," said Misty. "I've even seen some bad impersonators, and of course those copycat superheroes."

"Including the guy who dresses like a bat?"

"Including him," said Misty.

_Wow_, he thought.

"Now then," she said. "Since you've been gone five years, we need to find out how good you are. Are you up for a battle?"

Now she was speaking his language! "You're on!" he said. "Ya up for it, Raichu?"

"Rai-_Chu!_" he replied.

"You'd better be prepared," she said. "But you already know that."

"Just remember Ash, I'm not going to go easy on you!" Misty shouted from one side of the pool.

"You already said that!" he replied. "But I don't expect you to go easy, anyway!"

"Good for you!" she said. "Go, Golduck!"

"Samurott, go!"

"Golduck!"

"Samurott!"

"You have a Samurott?" Misty asked, completely astounded.

"Yep!"

"I guess I underestimated you!" said Misty. "Alright Golduck, Focus Punch!"

"Gooollll… DUCK!" Golduck threw a wicked punch, which missed. Samurott just stepped aside on its platform.

"Samurott, use Slash!" Samurott drew its sword. Golduck tried to block. Samurott took a big cut at Golduck and knocked it into the water. Bad move. "Samurott, stay calm," said Ash.

Samurott scanned the water for Golduck. It wasn't easy. But this is no ordinary Samurott. He looked around. That Golduck had to—

"Golduck, surface!" Oh, crap. "Mega Kick!"

"Gooollll… DUCK! ! !" Golduck took a mighty kick at Samurott. Samurott tried to block, but was knocked into the water. Golduck taunted Samurott from its platform. Under the surface however, Samurott wasn't playing around.

"Samurott, Hydro Pump!" A blast of water burst from the pool. Golduck yelled in shock and was hit full-force, slamming into the pool wall. Despite the fact it was a hard blow, Golduck was simply knocked out.

"Golduck, return!" Misty said as she recalled him. "You're tougher than I thought."

"Of course I am," he said as he recalled Samurott. "And I'm just getting started."

"So am I," said Misty. "Feraligatr, go!"

"FERALIGATR! !"

"I didn't know you went after starters," said Ash.

"You have to," said Misty.

"Very well," said Ash. "Go, Noctowl! Let's do this."

The battle was intense. Both trainers used up six Pokemon. Misty's Feraligatr beat Ash's Noctowl. He countered with Meganium over Kingdra. Her Tentacruel beat his Gliscor and Swellow had an easy victory over her Swampert. Now it was just Raichu and Gyarados.

Gyarados wasn't tearing up the place, but it was still making a bit of a mess. Raichu jumped from platform to platform. Ash and Misty were on the pool deck to avoid the water. Raichu jumped on Gyarados and started running up Gyarados's body. Ash looked as though he actually had a plan!

Gyarados thrashed about while Raichu made it to the head. It grabbed onto one of Gyarados's spikes. "Alright Raichu," said Ash. "Let's finish this!"

"I don't think so!" said Misty. "If you try that, Gyarados will land on the pool deck and crush Raichu! Besides, I don't think he has enough electricity!"

"You want to try me?" he asked.

Riachu and Gyarados watched the two argue. They started up a little conversation and to both trainers' surprise, started smiling! "Raichu," said Ash. "What just happened?" Ash listened to Raichuy say, "You agreed to stop fighting! ?"

"Rai!"

"Why?" He listened again. "But you just ate!"

"He's hungry?" asked Misty. "That's it?"

"He says Gyarados hasn't had anything to eat yet," said Ash. Misty slapped her face.

"Great," she said. "Alright, let's call this off. This place is a mess, anyway." She wasn't kidding. How would there be another match here?

"Well, that was anti-climactic," Misty said as the two left the pool. "Oh, by the way, you need a place to live, right?"

"Actually, my mom got me a place near Little Tokyo," he said.

"That's not too far from here," she said. "I guess I can visit you often."

"Yeah," he said with a blush. "Um, about that Executioner guy. Where does he work?"

"He mainly works in the bad parts of the city," she said. "Like South Central; Compton, usually."

"I see," he said.

"He's some white guy," said Misty. "But who cares, he's cr—why did you ask?"

"Um, no reason," he said. "Are you doing anything this weekend?"

"There's a big tournament that's going to be held at the Coliseum," said Misty. "I'm going to be in a blimp flying over it."

"Wow," said Ash. "I'll try to be there."

"You should," she said. "It should be pretty good."

"I'll give it a look," he said. "So long."

"Bye," she said as he left.

"Raichurai?" Raichu asked as they walked away.

"I think it's time I gave this city a little preview tonight," Ash muttered under his breath.

:-:-:-:-:-:

South Los Angeles.

Yeah, you've probably heard of this place. This is the birthplace of Gangsta rap; _real_Gangsta Rap, not that commercialized crap you hear on the radio. We're talking about groups like NWA and men like Ice-T and Dr. Dre. It's the place where the LA Riots originated. This place is _nothing_like the glitz and glamour that Hollywood presents.

Our main setting is divided between the two most notorious street gangs in America; the Bloods and Crips. We don't have to go over a history of them. Just by hearing their names you know who they are.

_Pop!_ _Pop! __Pop!_

The all-too familiar sounds of gunfire; several figures dressed in red scattered while one stood still, shaking in his shoes. A young man, not much older than 17 was lying on the ground, blood spilling out over the sidewalk. The person standing over him was not holding a gun.

He's just an initiate who was unsure about joining the Bloods. And now he's regretting his decision. His flight instincts kicked in and he started to run home. "Damn, damn, damn!" he said. "Momma's gonna be so mad!"

The city seemed like a blur. The sounds of police sirens filled the night. Tears welled up in young Jordan's face. "I didn't wanna do this!" said the young African-American.

He found his block and found his home. He banged on the door. "HELP! Someone, HELP!" No answer. He was shaking in fear. The cops could show up any minute… or someone _worse_. "Momma!"

"Your momma ain't comin' for you." A sinister voice caught his attention. He looked behind him. Several streetlights were out, so he couldn't see who it was.

"Who's there?" he asked. He heard the sound of a shotgun.

Then, he felt something grab his collar.

"Jordan!" his mother, Dorothy shouted from the house. "It's two in the fucking morning! What're you doin' out late!"

"Momma, HEEELLLP! !" The front door swung open. Dressed in a nightgown, his mother saw the teen crying. "Momma! I don't wanna die!"

"You should have thought of that before you pulled that trigger, kid," said the sinister voice.

"But I didn't do it!" Jordan cried. "I didn't do it!"

"You joined that gang boy," said the man. He stepped into the light. He was a middle-aged white man with a scar down his left eye. He had a scruffy beard. He wore football pads and held a shotgun. "You become a Blood, you're guilty."

"Please, don't kill him!" Dorothy shouted, trying to grab the gun from him. "He didn't do anything!"

"Get off me," the man said as he knocked her down.

"MOMMA!"

"Shut up," said the man. "The Executioner is here. It's time to die." Poor Jordan started praying as hard as he could. "Please, I'll be a good boy! I'll go to church, I'll praise God, just please DON'T KILL ME! !"

"Shut up," said the Executioner. "The bell has tolled for thee. Time to die."

"Drop the gun," said a forceful voice. The Executioner looked around.

"Who said that?" he asked.

"Drop. The Gun. _Now_."

"Why don't you show yourself?" said the Executioner. He sounded threatening, but in reality, he was shaking.

"I don't want to hurt you," said the voice. "Just let him go. He didn't do anything."

"He joins the Bloods, he—"

"He didn't do anything," said the voice.

"He's right!" said Dorothy. "He just wants to go to school, he's a nice kid!"

"I was forced to join!" said Jordan. "My—"

"Shut up, Blood!" said the Executioner. "A man is dead. It's time for you to pay the price."

"Don't you dare," said the voice.

"Make me," said the Executioner. "Why don't you take my gun?"

"Gladly." An arm clad in blue reached out and grabbed the Executioner's shotgun. The Execution couldn't even put up a fight. The gun was ripped out of his hands.

Needless to say, he was shocked. The sound of bending metal was the only thing heard on the street. Then, it was tossed back into the light, looking like a pretzel.

"Oh my Lord," said Dorothy.

Just then, the arm grabbed the Executioner. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm turning you in," said the voice.

"What are yo—WHAT THE HELL! ?" The Executioner was lifted off the ground, kicking and screaming. Jordan and Dorothy watched in utter shock while the figure carrying the Executioner flew away.

"Was that an angel?" said Dorothy.

"No," Jordan said with a smile. "But I know who it is."

:-:-:-:-:-:

Misty woke up around 8 the next morning. It was always important to wake up early. Butch was sleeping on the floor (he wasn't allowed on the bed). She got out; her hair looking like it had been in a wind storm. She stretched while Butch eagerly woke up. "Hey Butch," she said. "You hungry?" Butch barked, wagging his tail.

"Okay," said Misty. "Come on, let's go get you some kibble."

Once downstairs, she got Butch's doggie bowl. "Oh, I'm going to have to fix the gym," she said. She poured the kibble in his bowl before going to get some breakfast for herself.

As part of her morning ritual, she turned on KNBC on the kitchen TV. It was like the soundtrack to her morning.

"_The __LAPD __has __been __looking __for __the __Executioner __for __two __years,_" she heard a female anchor say. "_Now, __the __LAPD __have __their __man._"

Oh, that's nice. Misty got a box while listening to the report, sort of drowning it out, until…

"_Witnesses __say __the __figure __who_ _apprehended __the __Executioner __was __wearing __blue __and __lifted __the __vigilante __into __the __air._"

_CRASH!_

She looked at the TV. "No way," she said. "That's impossible." Clad in blue? Levitation? Was it possible... "No," she said to herself. "There's no way this is possible."

But was it really? Was he… back?

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

A figure seated in a large, purple chair put down the newspaper. An arm, dressed in a purple sleeve and a white glove reached for the phone. It dialed a few numbers and said, "Call the boys. We have a little surprise guest to our party. We need the party favors."

:-:-:-:-:

End chapter

Alright, I have a little challenge. I alluded to two famous superheroes in the text, and the Executioner is inspired by another anti-hero. Can you guess who they are? If you get it right, you get a cookie!

Okay, some notes:

Yes, there _is _a Metropolis, Illinois, but it's on the Ohio River, right across from Kentucky. And yes, it is the official home of Superman. DC Comics actually named the city Superman's hometown!


End file.
